Sierra County advocate. [volume] (Kingston, N.M.) 1884-1960, 1887-06-10
WANTS TO BOSS APooR HOUSE.

| Two gentlemen were SolnH uoWH
town in street-car the other morning.
talking about holding offices, One OF
the gentlemen holds state office which
pays him fairly. and tho other has been
mentioned" for several offices, from
alderman to member of congress, but
has never consented to allow his name
to be used in any way.
"Why don't you let your name be
used tor an Office" said the office hol-
der. "You could be elected to almost
ANYTHING, or the president would ap-
point YOU to a good Office if you wanted
it. You are pretty well fixed, and don
need to work any more, why not pe-
come government official. will good
salary. and take things easy?'
20, don't want any office, said
the other. There is no Office which
would be as easy work as n mans own
business. Any Office that allows man
to enjoy himself, and recreate is not
much of an Office. You know yourself
that your office bothers you more than
your own business. and brings small
er return. There is only one office that
| would take, under any circumstances.
and | would take that, and work for
nothing
What office is that" asked the Off
cia. at isn't Inspector OF Millinery
open ngs. or walking delegate for n
Iressmaker shop. is it?'
mo, sir! What | want, In after
wears. when | have laid up enough of
| this worlds goods so that it is not ne
cessary for me to work, and | have
| plenty of money to spend US | think
propper, is the position of superintend-
ent of the poor, or manager OF a coun-
y poor house"
"Well, there wouldn't be much hon
)r in that, AS ! can see. said the oili-
cial. "On the contrary. | should
lhink it would be rather depressing to
mingle with the paupers, and watch
their suilerings. and listen to their
tales of woe, and hear them complain
about the food and the beds. y
That's where the honor would come
m" said the applicant for tho poor
house. Ion the contrary, would run
the poor house so the inmates would
not realiz that they were paupers,
They would not suffer at all, and they
ould have no tails of woe to relate,
and they would have no cause to COM
plain OF food and beds. "
The county board would kick on the
expenses, and YOU would be discharged
the first month. " said the official,
"Then would pay the extra expense
out of my own pocket y said the other
man. There is no charity that is so
beaut ful rs tax nc care OF the poor
but the way many counties do 1t is u
disgrace to civilization. They make
poor people feel that the poor house is
the last place on earth to 90 to. The
word 'pauper" should be obiterated
from our language, and the poem Over
the ILLS to the Poor House, should be
suppressed if poor houses could be run
n my way. In the first place there
are people who find an asylum in the
poor house who are frauds. They have
! become poor through dissipation, are
broken down in health by drink, and
arc bummers. Such people | would
not have in my poor house. They
would have to work the hospitals. and
the house of correction. But the de-
serving poor old fathers and moth
ers who have lost their all, including
their grip, in some manner either in
min ng stocks or other calamities. and
have not the strength or courage to do
ANYTHING more for themselves, and who
feel rs though the world had gone of
somewhere and left them, and who can
think of nothing but welcome death, l
would take to my poor house and make
them happy. Instead of = building
that shows that il is n poor house as
far rs YOU can see it, | would have n
beautiful building. or cottages, in n
grove, with flowers and plants
everywhere, and when the poor
people were assigned to my poor house,
| woUld have a porter meet them and
take their little bundle tied up in
handkerchief, as though it was valu-
able piece of baggage. They should be
taken TO the Office and allowed to reg
ister, the same as at hotel, and then
| would find out what kind of n room
they would like. If / did not have
such room would do the best | could
with them, and apologize for its not
being better. If an old man who had
seen better days. was my guest, ! would
show him around the grounds, and give
him a cigar. and ask his advice about
his thing and that, and get him in
terested, play game of billiards with
him, or let him hoe in the garden. If
an old lady came, | would see that she
had a nice rocking chair and some knit
ling work, and n good cup OF tea, and
when She had drank her tea ! would
look in the bottom of the cup and tell
her fortune. and make her believe tnat
she would some day be rich aud have
horses and carriages. Then would
give them good meals. II a contractor
brought any old back number beef to
tlle pool house, nUcha aud shanks, such
as sometimes see being loaded into
wagon at butcher shop. to be sent TO
a Door house, | would make him eat 1t.
! II did not buy porter-house steak Tor
my guests. | would have it cut and
cooked so they couldn't tell it from por-
ter-house. The bread they cat should
be the best. and would eat with them,
and live on the same fare they did
would have new bedsteads. everything
clean, and talk to them, aud get them IN
teiosied in the place. and lot them work
if they wanted to. and lay around ii they
did not want 10 work. | would have
red seats under the trees, and lawn
tennis, and frequently | would compel
,ny friends in town. ladies' and gentle
men. TO come out and visit my poor
| hous. aud talk With z ' guests a1d have
fau. and make them feel a. taoush